


8. At Any Rate it's Overrated

by victoriousscarf



Series: 30 Au Challenge [2]
Category: DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 02:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8949604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victoriousscarf/pseuds/victoriousscarf
Summary: “It's supposed to be about true love's kiss, isn't it?” Tim asked and Jason rolled his eyes. It was lucky his back was to to Tim.“Actually, more often than not, that's just something people say because they think they should,” he said and finished clasping his sword around his waist. “Any kiss will do. Otherwise we'd be out of half our business.”“So you've saved sleeping princes and princesses before then?”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Uh. I'm writing too many serious fics I guess?? I don't know what just happened

“It's supposed to be about true love's kiss, isn't it?” Tim asked and Jason rolled his eyes. It was lucky his back was to to Tim.

“Actually, more often than not, that's just something people say because they think they should,” he said and finished clasping his sword around his waist. “Any kiss will do. Otherwise we'd be out of half our business.”

“So you've saved sleeping princes and princesses before then?” Tim asked, and he was still so young and earnest, half of the world's books stuffed into his head, their myths and legends and epic poetry. It was one of the reasons Jason let him tag along because that shit was _useful_ in his line of work, even if Tim didn't really understand the rules of the world yet.

“Yeah,” Jason said. “It happens. Royals are royally stupid, and they piss off the wrong magical powers and their kids pay the price.”

“What if this is one of the few curses that's serious about true love's kiss?” Tim asked, jogging after him.

Jason scoffed. “Yeah, those are one in a hundred. Sort of like true love is.”

“You're cynical,” Tim remarked, probably the eighth time he's said it.

“That's because I get paid a lot of money to fix people's mistakes, and to fuck up magic when it goes wrong. You meanwhile, have a great head and no experience.”

“Which is why I'm following you, right?” Tim said, following on his heels and Jason felt like he picked up a puppy some days.

Honestly he'd always have expected himself to pick up a full on war hound so he still wasn't sure how this happened.

-0-

The castle was covered in vines sprouting thorns.

“Well,” Tim said and paused, before digging through his book. “These are obviously magical.”

“Obviously,” Jason said, and poked one with his sword, jerking it back when the entire vine rattled. When Tim stared at him, he stared back. “What? It's a process of elimination?”

“At least let me see what I can find,” Tim muttered, flipping through a worn book. “Before you embarrass yourself.”

“Hey,” Jason protested and Tim made a soft sound of discovery.

“I've got it,” he said, shoving his book back in.

“Just like that, do you?” Jason asked and Tim nodded, leaning forward and he started to sing. Jason stared for too long, and almost jumped when the vines started moving, shifting back and creating a doorway. “Well,” Jason said, squinting at it. “Was it a specific song or would any do?”

“It's usually best to stick to classic lullabies if you don't know,” Tim replied and Jason snorted.

“Let's go, brains,” he said, shoving the door open.

-0-

Halfway up the castle, and Tim was leaning against the wall, panting. “You know what?” he said. “You're awful.”

“This is why we can demand such a high price,” Jason pointed out, watching the skeleton pace the hallway beyond them. “When people curse princes they are not joking around. This fairy wants this boy to stay down.”

“You know, I don't think I heard who it actually was,” Tim said.

“Two-Face,” Jason replied and Tim tensed, turning and hitting Jason with the book he'd dug out a floor ago.

“Two-Face!” he yelled. “Are you insane you didn't tell me that!”

Jason yelped, shoving Tim away and that got the attention of the skeleton, who raised its sword and ran at them. “I blame you for this!” Jason yelled, catching the skeleton's sword with his own.

“You're the one who dragged me into Two-Face's cursed castle!” Tim protested, jumping back and out of the way the fighting pair.

“You're the one who wanted in on this line of business,” Jason said, parrying the next blow. “Sometimes that means going into crazy places and fucking with the really bad fairies.”

“Dent has cursed half the kingdoms this side of the land,” Tim protested. “He doesn’t just curse royalty he curses anyone he feels like—hell he’s even cursed me!”

“What?” Jason asked, and punched the skeleton’s head, sending it skittering across the ground. The body paused, and started walking around in a circle as if looking for its head. “That’s not something you bring up while we’re in a cursed castle, Tim, that’s something you put on the application.”

“It’s a very minor curse,” Tim muttered.

“It’s still a curse!” Jason said and shook his head. “Okay, you know what. We’re just going now. We still have a couple floors to get through and I’d rather finish this sooner than later.”

-0-

“Remind me why I wanted to join you?” Tim asked as Jason kicked open the door at the top of the tower, too tired to bother with picking the lock or even just trying to handle.

“Fame, glory, a steady source of income, I have no idea,” Jason said, glancing around the room.

“You know,” Tim said as Jason walked up to the bed. Somehow, all the beds in towers looked the same. “I wouldn’t mind kissing him to try and wake him up.”

Jason grunted, because the prince _was_ stupid beautiful, his dark hair on the pillow, and his head barely turned to one side, exposing the long line of his throat. “Except it wouldn’t work.”

“I thought you said it didn’t have to be true love’s kiss?” Tim asked, walking around the room and considering the whole thing as Jason tried not to stare at the prince in front of them.

“It doesn’t,” Jason said. “But the trick is you have to be able to convince yourself it _could_ be true love, in another life, if things had gone right for you. You have to make it abstract, that you could have loved them, that you _might_ love them. Then you kiss them and bam, they wake up. It doesn’t have to be real you just have to convince yourself it could be.”

Tim turned back around. “That sounds really tragic, actually,” he said.

“It does not,” Jason said, frowning at him.

“Constantly convincing yourself you _could_ love someone, without ever actually falling in love?” Tim asked, and he still had one of his books shoved under his armpit but he crossed his arms as he watched Jason. “Yeah, that sounds sad.”

“I don’t need love,” Jason said. “Money though, that’s useful. That gets my food and keeps me alive.”

“You don’t really believe what you’re saying, do you?” Tim asked, arching one brow perfectly and Jason narrowed his eyes at him.

“I tend not to joke around when it comes to food,” Jason said, shaking his head and turning back to the prince. He hesitated, letting his gaze linger again on that face so perfect in its repose.

“Are you convincing yourself you could love him?” Tim asked.

“Sometimes it’s easier than other is all,” Jason said and no matter what he said to Tim sometimes it was a little tragic. To dwell on the possibilities of what life could be, if the person in front of you really did want and love you back. Not that he would tell Tim that in a hundred lifetimes, no matter how much the little brat was growing on him with his books and dry humor.

Squaring his shoulders, he yanked his attention back to the realize they had just battled through an entire tower, looking so peaceful he could have actually just been asleep.

“Time to wake up I guess,” Jason said and leaned down, kissing him lightly and the prince’s eyes instantly snapped open, so blue Jason took a full step back in surprise and Tim dropped his book.

-0-

Getting princes and princesses and other assorted nobles out of towers was always easier than trying to get in was.

“That wasn’t even that bad,” Tim said brightly and Jason hit the back of his head.

“Don’t tempt the fates,” he said, and beside them the prince was quiet, occasionally looking between them from his horse.

“It’s very remarkable,” the king said when they appeared on his doorstep. And despite how dour the king looked, the prince approached him with an open and easy smile and for a second even Bruce Wayne looked soft.

“Maybe you should start paying attention to the threats,” the prince said, but he was still smiling.

“I’m sorry,” the king rumbled. “I did not mean—”

“For me to be caught up, I know,” the prince said and Jason started shifting from foot to foot, considering his exits. Now was when the awkward questions about the mercenary who could break curses came up, and he always hated the way their eyes dimmed in some disappointment that their story wouldn’t be wrapped up with a tidy and happy bow.

But the prince turned back to him with a soft smile. “At least stay for the feast,” he said.

“It would be better if we,” Jason started and paused, because the prince was still just smiling at him, like it was no bother at all.

“Just one night,” the king said. “After all, you did do us a great service.”

-0-

Which is how he found himself out on the balcony, looking up at the cool stars above and trying not to think about how the prince laughed, the line of his throat, the way he moved.

If he had looked pristine and beautiful while asleep he was like a brick to the face awake.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” the prince said, strolling outside and somehow making it look casual.

“Prince,” Jason started.

“Dick,” he corrected. “Or Richard if you must. But not my title, please.”

“Right,” Jason said. “Look, I understand. I’ve gone through this before and I really don’t want—I know what the curse said, okay, but it’s not really true love.”

“I know,” Dick said, leaning against the bannister of the railing and Jason blinked.

“You do?”

“I don’t know you,” Dick said, turning his head and he still just looked pleased and happy. Jason wondered if he didn’t find keeping that up exhausting. “I’ve never met you before. How could I love you in my sleep?”

“Huh,” Jason managed.

“But,” Dick said. “I was talking to your partner.”

“He’s on probation still,” Jason said quickly.

“He said it was about the possibility that you could see yourself loving someone, and that’s how you break all those curses. He said it better, but that’s the gist, isn’t it?”

“Is that relevant?” Jason asked.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Dick admitted. “But you did battle evil fairies and a lot of angry vines for me.”

“For money,” Jason said.

“And I appreciate it,” Dick continued like he hadn’t heard.

“Look,” Jason started. “You’re a prince, I’m a mercenary. Who kisses people and breaks curses. If you’re saying you want to get to know me better it’s a wasted effort—”

“Is it?”

“You remember the part where I’m a peasant and you’re a prince? I think I just hit on that,” Jason said and realized Dick had slid closer at some point, still watching him. “Um.”

“Yes, I remember,” Dick said. “But, so what? You saved my life, everyone expects it out of the story. It would raise far less eyebrows than you’re assuming.”

“But as you just pointed out, you don’t know me,” Jason said, throat going dry.

“Not yet,” Dick agreed.

“And what does your father think of this?” Jason asked, grasping at anything to stop Dick staring at him like that.

“He would probably frown and bluster, but that’s fine,” Dick said. “Besides, he’s not really my biological father.”

“He,” Jason blinked, because he hadn’t known that. “But you’re still a prince, still royal.”

Dick hummed and nodded.

“So what exactly are you asking?” Jason asked.

“What about actually exploring the possibility?” Dick asked, and he was that much closer. “That maybe love doesn’t have to be so true or abstract to be real?”

“I’m not quitting my job,” Jason said and Dick just raised his brows. “Which will take me far away. And you’re going to find you don’t like me much very quickly.”

“Isn’t it time to find that out instead of assuming?”

“You realize your proximity is way more convincing than your actual words right?” Jason blurted and before he could flee Dick had closed the last space between them, kissing him with his hands still resting on the bannister.

Jason froze, before hesitantly nudging forward and feeling Dick’s smile against his mouth.

“That was much better awake,” Dick said, when he drew back.

“Uh,” Jason said and hoped the dark hid at least some of the heat in his cheeks. “Yeah.”

“Consider it, anyway,” Dick said. “No one would turn you away from these gates.”

“Good to know,” Jason said, watching him walk back inside. “I’ll consider it at least.”

And Dick turned at the door, the light from inside highlighting his smile. “Then come dance with me.”

“That was not part of,” Jason started but he walked forward anyway, and took the offered hand that Dick held out. “I suppose I could.”

“Glad to hear it,” Dick said, and pulled him inside.


End file.
